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Post by larue on May 3, 2006 21:25:22 GMT 10
The first day of school... As she pulled into the busy drop off drive of Susie’s new school, she remembered her own jitters and excitement of the first days in the past. She pulled the car to a stop and looked back at Susie in the back seat with Cosmo.
“Do you remember how to find your home room?” she asked. Susie nodded and opened the back door. “Chuck will be here to pick you up at the end of the day.”Susie climbed out and lifted her backpack of school supplies off the seat. She pointed a finger at Cosmo in his car seat.
“Remember...” Susie said. “Use your words and no biting. It’s not cool.” Cosmo nodded his head furiously, his eyes wide as he watched her close the door. Susan smiled and then sat for a moment as her niece moved into the line of similarly uniformed girls headed into the school building. Susie turned around and threw her a wan smile and small wave.
Chuck and Susie were sitting at the kitchen table when Susan walked in with Cosmo and a bag of groceries at the end of the day.
“Hey, how did it go?” she asked as she set the groceries on the counter. Cosmo climbed into Chuck’s lap. Susie looked at her with a gloomy face and sighed.
“That bad?” Susan asked as she sat across from her.
“She has to play a team sport,” Chuck said suppressing a smile.
“It’s required,” Susie said sadly.
“Well, that’s a good thing,” Susan said. “Kind of inspires development of the whole student, doesn’t it?” Chuck shrugged.
“What are your choices?” Susan asked. Susie slid a paper across the table to her.
‘Volleyball? Volleyball is good...” Susan said.
“They are all WAY taller than I am,” Susie replied.
“Softball?”
“I can’t throw.”
“Basketball?”
“The height thing...”
“Lacrosse?”
“Get real. Have you seen their equipment? That little ball hurts!”
“Soccer?”
“I’d have to run. I run like a duck.” Susie dropped her forehead to the table with a clunk.
“First day of school and I am doomed.” she groaned. Susan looked across at Chuck and they both chuckled softly.
“Not necessarily, sweetie,” Susan said. “Look, soccer and softball are spring sports. Sign up for one of them and we’ll help you get some of those skills together before then.” Susie lifted her head and looked at her quizzically.
“You can teach me not to run like a duck?” she said. “I thought it was hereditary?” Susan grimaced.
“Sports aside, how did the rest of your day go?” she asked. “Make any friends?”
“No...not yet.” Susie said. “That always takes a while for me to do. I am kind of...socially inept.” She sat up straighter. “I am going to totally love my physics class! And calculus rocks. I knew that it would.” She was thoughtful for a moment and then frowned.
“You know, I can’t be the only one with this sports issue thing,” she said. “Maybe I will sign up for a spring sport. That will give me lots of time to organize a protest.”
“Susie!” Susan scolded. “It’s your first day there.”
“Aunt Susan,” she said as she stood up. “Some people are meant to be players and some people are meant to watch. It’s time people understood that.” She turned on her heel, hitched the yellow blouse out of the band of her plaid skirt and stalked out of the kitchen. Cosmo climbed down from Chuck’s lap and trotted after her. Chuck watched them go and turned to smile at Susan.
“She is so damned cute,” he said. Susan rolled her eyes.
“You think so?” she sighed and rested her forehead in her hands. “I am hearing the telephone ring with a summons to the principal’s office...already! Chuck, what just happened here?” Chuck laughed and stood up. He circled the table and kissed the top of Susan’s head.
“We have witnessed the birth of a ‘movement’, babe,” he said. “Now, do you want to make the salad or should I?” Susan slumped back in her chair and shook her head.
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Post by larue on May 3, 2006 21:27:07 GMT 10
Susan waited on pins and needles for a call to come from school but the entire month of September passed without incident. They were all settling into a nice routine. Her job was challenging and Chuck loved his work. Cosmo was doing well in daycare and Susie made a friend.
They were two peas in a pod except for the fact that Heather attended the public middle school. Susie tutored her in Math and Heather taught Susie to ride a bike. They were both voracious readers and would hole up in Susie’s room with a stack of books and the radio blaring. Usually Cosmo was stretched out on the floor as well, with his own books to look at. There were sleep over weekends and visits to the mall. Then they started a tutoring business together. Heather drew in the neighborhood kids and Susie banked their money. Heather’s mother loved the friendship as much as Susan did.
In October, Cosmo was invited to his very first birthday party. It was a fiasco from the start. First he refused to eat the clown cupcake because it ‘had a face’. Then he punched another little boy in the stomach for refusing ‘to use his words’. Susan was mortified but the other moms there laughed it off. They called him a ‘charmer’ and Susan finally had to agree. At least he hadn’t bitten anyone.
His admiration of Susie continued and Susan loved the fact that they got along so well. He never seemed to ruffle Susie until one Saturday afternoon in late October. Susie was working on physics project with Susan at the kitchen table when he climbed into a chair next to her.
Susie stared at the old Barbie doll in Cosmos’ hands.
“Where did you get that?” she demanded angrily. Cosmos’ face fell and he dropped the doll to the floor.
“In a box,” he said. Susie picked the doll up and shook it in his face.
“That’s my private stuff, Cosmo,” she said sternly. “Don’t ever touch that box again.” Cosmo’s big eyes filled with tears and he grabbed Susan around the neck in panic. Susie stared at him angrily and then stood up and stomped off to her room. Cosmo started to wail and Susan picked him up in her arms and hugged him.
“Where was the box?” she asked him. Cosmo continued to wail and hugged Susan tight. She sat in the chair and held him close until he calmed down. She gave him a juice box and sat him in front of his favorite video before going up the stairs to Susie’s room.
Susan peeked in and then stepped inside when she didn’t see Susie. She looked into the open closet doors. Susie was seated against the back wall with her legs tucked up in front of her. She looked up at Susan for a long moment.
“Want some company?” Susan asked. Susie shrugged and scooted over a bit. Susan sighed and crawled into the closet with her. She peeked into the open box on the other side of Susie.
“He didn’t know what he was doing, honey,” she said. “He is just a little boy.” Susie nodded.
“I know.” She took the Barbie from Susie and smiled slightly as she fingered the long ratty tresses. She’dsent it to her for Christmas a long time ago.
“I can’t believe you saved this,” Susan said.
“They’re my things,” Susie said.
“Can I look?” Susan asked. Susie looked at her warily for a long moment and then nodded. She moved the box so it was in front of Susan. Susan smiled softly and sifted through the items inside. There was the yellow pacifier Susan had used when Susie was a baby...the baby blanket Susan had quilted for her...a little bear Susan remembered tucking next to her when she was napping...a story book about a caterpillar she used to read to her...a stack of letters in her own handwriting that had been tied with a ribbon...a polo shirt Susan had ‘lost’...a bead necklace that Susan remembered giving her for her 5th birthday...a musical jewelry box and a little plastic purse that had held play makeup at one time...again, gifts from Susan. There were a number of photographs... all of Susan and Susie...or Susan alone. There was nothing of Chloe or Joe in the box.
“A shrink would probably tell you that I have a very unhealthy fixation on my aunt,” Susie said finally. Susan laughed and carefully placed the pictures back into the box.
“I don’t think so,” Susan said. She reached over and slipped her arm across Susie’s shoulders and hugged her.
“I think a counselor would probably say that you knew you could depend on your aunt to come to the rescue if you ever really needed her,” she said. “And that’s what I always wanted you to know. I am glad that you did.” Susan sat still with her arm around Susie for a long while.
“If my Mom ever came back, would I have to go with her?” Susie asked finally. Susan sighed heavily.
“Not unless it was the right place for you. You’re twelve. I think the courts would have to listen to what you wanted to do.” Susie nodded. Susan squeezed her tightly and then crawled out of the closet. She hitched herself up again and started to leave the room.
“Aunt Susan?” She turned around and looked at Susie.
“I’ll talk to Cosmo about the face thing. I’m not really vegan,” Susie said. “Maybe vegetarian most of the time...but not vegan.” Susan smiled and shrugged.
“Thank you. It wouldn’t matter a bit what you are, you know,” she said . “As long as you are you.” Susie smiled slightly and nodded. Susan grinned and turned to leave the room. She stopped at the bedroom door.
“Oh,” Susan said. ‘My birthday is coming up and Uncle Chuck and I are talking about taking a weekend to visit Grandpa in Chicago. Maybe you, Abby and I could spend a day shopping. Would you like that?” Susie sat up straight and grinned.
“Yeah...” she said enthusiastically. Susan smiled.
“I’ll tell Uncle Chuck it’s a go then!”
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Post by <3 LubyII <3 on May 3, 2006 22:46:16 GMT 10
Great update, I loved it!
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Post by Lubyfanatic316 on May 4, 2006 7:29:02 GMT 10
Awsome update!
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Post by larue on May 5, 2006 20:31:53 GMT 10
Susan stepped off the sidewalk and looked across the road at the ambulance bay. She frowned a bit. Susie tugged at her hand.
“Are you ready for this?” she asked. Susan looked down at her niece’s worried smile and grinned. She slipped her arm across Susie’s shoulder and hugged her.
“I think so,” she said. “‘It’s hard going back after the way I left but I am glad you’re with me.”
“So, this is where I was born?” Susie asked as they crossed the street to the doors of the Emergency Room.
“Oh yeah,” Susan said. “One very memorable Mother’s Day.”
“And you delivered me?” Susan looked at her and flashed a huge grin.
“Yeah...” she said. Susie smiled and slipped her arm around Susan’s waist in a hug.
There were just a few patients waiting in chairs to be seen. Susan and Susie made their way to the admit desk. Susan smiled.
“Jerry?” she said softly. The big man turned around and grinned.
“Dr. Lewis!” he exclaimed. He moved around the admit desk and wrapped her in a big hug.
“It’s good to see you, Jer,” she said as he stepped back. “We’re looking for Abby?”
“Susan?” Chuny dropped a chart onto the desk and grinned broadly as Susan smiled. They hugged each other.
“You remember my niece, Susie?” Susan said. Jerry and Chuny stared at the girl standing by the desk.
“Chloe’s Susie?” Jerry was aghast. “Has it been that long?” Susie smiled and adjusted the sweater that was wrapped over her shoulders.
“She is gorgeous, Susan,” Chuny sighed and reached out to touch Susie’s hair. “Hey you...I was there when you were born!” Susie grinned.
“Thank you,” she said politely. Chuny laughed and drew her into a warm hug. Susan smiled and then looked up as Abby and Luka came down the hall. He was wearing a baby carrier snuggled against his chest.
“There you are!” Susan said as Abby hugged her. “Are you ready to go?” Abby nodded and turned to Luka and kissed the top of Lauren’s head.
“Go...” he said. “We’ll be fine. As soon as Pratt gets here, I’m leaving. We’ll be going right home.” His eyes met Susan’s. “And we’ll be at Susan’s dad’s for dinner and birthday cake. We ‘ll meet you there.”
“I know but...” Abby started. Susan put her hands on Abby’s shoulders and steered her reluctantly away from Luka. She grabbed Susie’s hand.
“Have a good time,” Luka waved as the three of them left the ER and headed for the el staircase.
Susie stood with her nose pressed against the window of the el train watching the buildings speed by below.
“So, where are we going shopping?” she asked.
“Let’s start on Michigan Avenue,” Susan said with a satisfied smile. She nudged Abby.
“The kid is loaded,” she said. “She makes money tutoring the neighborhood after school. She has this whole little homework club that meets at our kitchen table every night.”
“Very innovative,” Abby said as she nodded admiringly. Susie just rolled her eyes. “So, are you planning to be a teacher?” Susie shook her head.
“No,” she said. “I wouldn’t be very good at it. I’d hate assigning homework.”
“Which would make you everyone’s favorite!” Abby laughed. The train stopped and they went through the open doors of the train to the platform.
“Wherever we go, I am supposed to have us at the Drake at one o’clock,” Susie said. Susan stopped on the platform to look at her.
“The Drake?” Susie nodded.
“It’s a birthday present from Uncle Chuck,” she said. “We have reservations at the Drake for tea.” Susan looked at Abby and they grimaced.
“A little too rich for my blood...” she said.
“Uncle Chuck said you would say that but he made me promise...” Susie scolded. “...and I can’t break a promise.” Susan rolled her eyes and linked her arms through Susie’s and Abby’s.
“Come on, “ she said. “It’s my birthday and there is some serious shopping to be done!”
Later, that evening, Abby leaned on the back deck railing as Susan held Lauren and watched Luka with Susie in the small back yard. Chuck was tossing a little football with Cosmo and eyeing them as well.
“I can’t do this,” Susie moaned as Luka tossed the soccer ball in her general direction.
“You can,” he said. “Just remember to use the inside of your foot like I showed you.”
“What possible difference can it make if I use my toe or the side of my foot?” Luka stopped moving and straightened.
“Uh...you could break your toe?” Susie looked at him with her hands on her hips and then frowned a little.
“Oh...” she said. “Good reason.” Luka laughed and rolled the soccer ball in front of him with his foot and looked at her.
“Are you ready?” he asked. Susie sighed deeply and nodded. Luka passed the ball to her and she kicked it with the inside of her foot as hard as she could. The ball sailed past Luka and hit the wooden fence behind him. Susie’s mouth dropped open and she threw her hands into the air.
“I did it!” she hollered and ran to him. Luka picked her up and swung her around in a hug.
“Come on!” Susie laughed. “Show me something else!” Susan and Abby exchanged smiles as Luka put Susie down and retrieved the ball.
“That is one kid that is definitely taking a village to raise,” Susan nodded.
“She’s great,” Abby said. “She really has her head screwed on straight.”
“Yeah...no thanks to Chloe,” Susan sighed.
“Maybe it’s all thanks to Chloe. I mean, how do you think she would have turned out if her mother had been around?”
“Now you are beginning to sound just like her.” Abby grinned.
“If she ever opens up an office, I will be the first in line for an appointment,” she said. “That whole philosophy on life thing that she told me about when we were at the hotel...’Use it or lose it’’?” Susan laughed and nodded.
“From one of her...‘television shrinks’?” she said. Abby shrugged.
“It makes so much sense. ‘Use the good things you get from people and lose the rest.’ I wonder how it would have helped me when I was her age?” Susan sighed and kissed the top of the sleeping baby’s head.
‘Yeah...well...you didn’t turn out so bad,” she said. Abby smiled softly.
“It’s been a long, hard road, though,” she said as she watched Luka with a soft smile. “I don’t think I have reached the end of it quite yet...but I’m getting there.” Susan nodded and hugged the baby closer. Abby turned to look at her.
“ I hope she’s hungry soon,” she said. Susan grinned and carefully shifted Lauren into her mother’s arms.
“So, what are the Kovacs doing for Thanksgiving?” Susan asked.
“Maggie wants us to come to Minnesota,” Abby replied. “We’re thinking about it.”
“Christmas?” Susan asked.
“She might be coming here,” Abby sighed. She looked at Susan and shook her head.
“Yeah...I was hoping we could get together too.”
“There’s always New Year’s...” Susan wheedled.
“New Year’s...” Abby mused. “Isn’t it amazing what can happen in a year? Last New Year’s I was struggling with the whole idea of having a baby.”
“And I was settling in a new job with a stay at home dad taking care of one child...” They looked at one another and laughed.
“Look at us now,” Abby grinned. Susan looked back as her dad opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside.
“Anyone ready for birthday cake?” he asked. He crossed the small deck and stood next to Susan to watch what was happening in the yard. Susan slipped her arm around his waist and drew him close.
“Look at them, Dad,” she said. “Quite a family, huh?” He nodded and smiled as he watched his grandson and granddaughter playing with the soccer ball as Luka and Chuck watched. Abby jostled a still sleeping Lauren.
“I think I need to try and wake her up to nurse for a bit,” she said. ‘I’ll be right back.” Susan nodded and watched her go inside. She looked up at the dimming evening sky and sighed happily. She looked at her dad and frowned slightly. There was something about his face.
“Dad?” she asked. He looked at her grimly.
“Susie...” he said slowly. “I’ve gotten a post card from Chloe.”
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Post by Lubyfanatic316 on May 5, 2006 22:35:45 GMT 10
awsome update!
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Post by sammiejm on May 7, 2006 5:24:31 GMT 10
I've just read this all in one sitting. It's a fantastic story, Susan was always one of my favourite characters and you've written her as well as you write all the others. Lovely little bits of Luby too! Abby broke Luka's finger . I have a friend who did something similar to her husband!
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Post by larue on May 7, 2006 9:42:44 GMT 10
Thank you, Sammie! I loved Susan as well and loved her relationship with Abby. I was so excited to be able to carry it on through a fan fic or two. I also fell in love with writing about Susie and Susan. She is just the MOST fun personality to slip in to!
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Post by larue on May 7, 2006 9:48:10 GMT 10
Susan at the table staring at the post card in front of her. She drummed her fingers on the address book next to it and sighed. Chuck came in and stopped when he saw her back at the table. He frowned a little and went to the refrigerator. He took out the milk carton and carried it to the counter. Susan watched him silently as he took a glass from the cupboard and poured himself a glass of milk. He sat down at the table and put the glass in front of him. Their eyes met and held.
“Don’t do this, Susan,” he said finally. “You don’t even know if she is still in Seattle.”
“That’s why I need to do it,” she said.
“Who is it possibly going to help?”
“We’ve been through all of this, Chuck...several times.”
“How can you do this to Susie? Are you willing to risk her happiness and security right now?”
“How will she feel down the road knowing that we knew where her mother was and didn’t try to help her?”
“But you don’t know where her mother is! And I don’t think she really cares anyway. Her mother hasn’t been there for her in a long time...if she ever was.”
“Chloe is...still...her mother.” Chuck shook his head and sighed heavily.
“It’s wrong, babe,” he said quietly. “Wait until Chloe comes to you... don’t go after her.”
“I’m not going after her,” Susan said. “I just want to make sure she is all right.”
“Well, I’m with your dad on this one...and Abby...and Luka...,” he said. Susan nodded.
“I know you are,” she said without looking at him. Chuck frowned sadly and then stood up. He picked up his glass of milk and looked at her for a long moment. He leaned over and kissed her cheek as he passed.
“I love you,” he said before he left her alone in the kitchen. She sighed and turned the post card over and read it once again. Then she reached for the address book and flipped through it. She picked up her cell phone and dialed a number she hadn’t called since the day they’d learned that Mark Greene had died.
Susan waited a moment as the phone rang. Her heart was beating wildly in her throat. Was she doing the right thing? Maybe Chuck was right. Maybe she should wait until Chloe contacted them. If she’d sent her dad a postcard, maybe Chloe was closer to contacting her.
“Hello,” came a voice from the other end.
“Doug,” Susan said. “It’s Susan Lewis.”
“Hey! Susan! How are you?” Susan grinned.
“I’m fine, Doug. You?”
“Great...great. Very busy though. We seem to be running a chauffeuring service here. Carol is picking Tess up from dance right now and I am almost on my way out the door with Katie and Mark for soccer practice. Hey, I just looked at my caller i.d. What the heck are you doing in...Iowa City?” Susan chuckled.
“Uh...well...let’s just say that I’m another casualty of the ‘Weaver Machine’. They wouldn’t give me a tenured position so I left County... again.”
“You’re kidding,” Doug was aghast.
“But, it’s been a very good move, however,” she said. “I love my job here.”
“Aww...that’s good. Me too.” Susan ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath.
“Um...Doug,” she said. “I need a favor.” He listened as she told him quickly about Susie...and Chloe...and the postcard.
“I think she’s in another rehab program in Seattle,” she said. ‘Is there anyway you can check for me?”
“I don’t know, Susan.” he said. “There are some pretty strict confidentiality rules in those places. You know that.”
“That’s why I’m calling you, Doug. Since when have you given a rat’s behind about rules?” She smiled as she heard him chuckle on the other end.
“I don’t want to contact her or anything. I just want to make sure she is all right.” There was silence on the other end.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Doug said finally.
“Thanks, Doug,” she said. “I’ll let you go now. Give my love to Carol.”
“I will, Susan,” he said. “I will be in touch as soon as I find anything out, okay? And I want to talk longer so we can really catch up.”
“Okay...me too,” she said. “Bye.” Susan ended the call and set her phone on the table. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that spilled out of the corners of her eyes.
She didn’t hear from him again until after the holidays. Doug called with the information that Chloe had completed a 6 month rehab stay in a court mandated lock up center and had spent another four months in a halfway house. From there she had disappeared again.
“I wish I could give you more to go on, Susan,” he’d apologized.
“You’ve given me more than we have had in five years,” she said. “Now, tell me about things in your world.” Doug had laughed and Susan could almost see the twinkle in his eye as he gushed on about life with the twins and his son. Carol had chosen to stay home with them but now that Mark was in school full time she was helping out occasionally at Doug’s clinic. Just hearing his voice made Susan nostalgic for those earlier days in her career at County. They’d had quite a time together. And now Mark was gone and the rest of them had scattered to far corners of the...world...in Carter’s case.
“Tell me what she’s like,” Doug said on the phone.
“Susie?” Susan laughed. “Nothing like Chloe, that’s for sure. Bright, funny, creative...and so exasperating at times. On second thought, maybe she’s a lot like Chloe.” Doug chuckled.
“You think it’s funny?” Susan said. “Why does everyone think it’s so funny? She is twelve years old and she is taking physics, government, calculus, chemistry and something called ‘international studies’ in school. She is making wads of cash with a tutoring business that locks up my kitchen table three nights a week and do you want to know where she is right at this moment, Doug? Play rehearsal for a community theater group. She tagged along on a friend’s audition and got a part herself. ” Doug’s chuckle changed to an outright laugh.
“And you’re having a wonderful time with her,” he said. Susan smiled.
“I am,” she said softly. “I really, really am.”
“And Cosmo?” Doug asked.
“He follows Susie around like a little puppy and, so far, she loves it.”
“Ooooo...we need to get them together with my girls,” he said. “They could use a lesson in how to deal with a little brother.” Susan chuckled. They were both silent.
“Do you still miss him?” Susan asked finally.
“Yeah,” Doug said softly.
“Me too,” Susan said. “We got a Christmas card from Elizabeth though. Ella looks just like him.”
“Mark would love that,” Doug sighed happily. Susan grinned and glanced at her watch.
“I need to go pick my budding thespian up at rehearsal,” she said. “Let’s do this again, Doug. Soon, okay?”
“I promise, Susan,” he said. ‘Bye.” She put the phone in it’s base and pulled her sweater closer. It was amazing. Mark Greene was gone and yet had made in indelible imprint on everyone that he had worked with. That was definitely the mark of a good person.
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Post by Lubyfanatic316 on May 7, 2006 12:34:09 GMT 10
Great update!
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Post by sammiejm on May 7, 2006 21:35:19 GMT 10
Another great update. I'm definitely addicted to this story now. I love the way you've managed to involve some of our old favourites and still keep the story realistic. I wish I could write like this.
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Post by <3 LubyII <3 on May 7, 2006 23:28:39 GMT 10
Loved the update! Hope you update again soon.
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Post by larue on May 11, 2006 20:39:45 GMT 10
Aww...thanks for the wonderful reviews. I am in Daytona Beach helping to take care of my hospitalized Mom. This story is on my computer back in Michigan. I will post an update as soon as I return home this weekend.
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Post by <3 LubyII <3 on May 12, 2006 3:37:55 GMT 10
Yay! Can't wait!!!
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Post by larue on May 12, 2006 11:09:05 GMT 10
Actually the entrie story is posted on www.fanfiction.net. If you go to TV shows...ER...and type in 'LLF'...you should get a link to all of my stories and there are four posted there. Sooo.....if you can't wait till this weekend......try it there.
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